CHAPTER VII
THE FOREST BATTLE
"It is quite evident," said Robert, as they talked, "that we mustfollow on the trail of St. Luc. We've settled in our minds thathe wants to keep our people busy along Lake George, while Montcalmfortifies higher up. Then it's our duty to find out what he's doingand stop it if we can."
All were in agreement upon the point, even Grosvenor, who did not yetfeel at home in the woods.
"But we must wait until the fog lifts," said Willet. "If we moved nowwe might walk directly into the arms of the enemy, and we can affordto wait the night through, anyhow. Tayoga, we have got to keep youfresh, because your senses and faculties must be at their finest andmost delicate pitch for trailing, so now you go to sleep. All the restof you do the same, and I'll watch."
Soon four slumbered, and only the hunter was awake and on guard. Buthe was enough. His sight and hearing were almost as good as those ofTayoga himself and he too began to believe that the Onondaga's Manitouwas a shield before them. Danger had come often and very near, butit had always passed, and, for the present, at least, he was notapprehensive. The fog might hang on all night if it chose. Theycould easily make up lost ground in the morning. Meanwhile they wereaccumulating fresh strength. The four were sleeping very placidly, andit was not likely that they would awake before dawn. Willet looked attheir relaxed figures with genuine benevolence. There were the friendsfor whom he cared most, and he felt sure the young Englishman alsowould become an addition. Grosvenor was full of courage and he hadalready proved that he was adaptable. He would learn fast. The hunterhad every reason to be satisfied with himself and the situation.
The fog did not go away. Instead, it thickened perceptibly, rollingup in new waves from the lake. The figures of the sleeping four werewrapped in it as in a white blanket, but Willet knew they were there.No air stirred, and, as he sat silent, he listened for sounds thatmight come through the white veil, hearing only the occasionalstirring of some animal. Toward morning the inevitable changeoccurred. A wind arose in the south, gentle puffs in the beginning,then blowing steady and strong. The fog was torn away first at thetop, where it was thinnest, floating off in shreds and patches, andthen the whole wall of it yielded before the insistent breeze, driventoward the north like a mist, and leaving the woods and thickets free.Willet made a careful circle about the camp, at a range of severalhundred yards, and found no sign of hostile presence. Then he resumedhis silent vigil, and, an hour later, the sun rose in a shower ofgold. Tayoga opened his eyes and Willet awakened the others.
"The fog is gone," said the hunter, "and eyes are useful once more.I've been around the camp and there is no immediate threat hangingover us. We can enjoy a good breakfast on Black Rifle's cold bear, andthen we'll start on St. Luc's trail."
The path of the force that had marched past in the night was quiteplain. Even Grosvenor, with his inexperience, could tell that manymen had walked there. Most of the Frenchmen as well as the Indianshad worn moccasins, but the imprints made by the boot heels of DeCourcelles and Jumonville were clearly visible among the faintertraces.
"How many men would you say were in this force, Tayoga?" asked Willet.
"About fifty Frenchmen and maybe as many warriors," replied theOnondaga. "The Frenchmen stay together, but the warriors leave nowand then in little parties, and the trail also shows where some of theparties came back. See, Red Coat, here is where two warriors returned.The French stay with St. Luc, not because they are not good scouts andtrailers, but because the division of the work now allots this task tothe Indians."
"You're right when you call the French good scouts and trailers," saidWillet. "They seem to take naturally to forest life, and I know theIndians like them better than they do any other white people. As Ioften tell Robert, here, the French are enemies of whom anybody can beproud. There isn't a braver race in the world."
"I don't underrate 'em," said Grosvenor.
"It won't be long until we reach their camp," said Tayoga. "SharpSword is too great a leader to have carried his men very far in ablind fog. I do not think he went on more than a mile. It is likelythat he stopped at the first brook, and the slope of the ground showsthat we will come soon to a stream. More of the scouts that he sentout are returning to the main trail. They could not have gone far inthe fog and of course they found nothing."
"We'll have, then, to beware lest we run into their camp beforethey've left it," said Willet.
"I don't think Sharp Sword would stay there after dawn," continued theOnondaga. "The fact that he marched at night in the fog shows that heis eager to get on, and I am quite sure we will find a cold camp. Herego the footsteps of St. Luc. I know they are his, because his footis small and he wears moccasins. All the French soldiers have largerfeet, and the other two Frenchmen, De Courcelles and De Jumonville,wear boots. Sharp Sword does not regard the two officers with favor.He does not associate with them more than is necessary. He keepson the right side of the trail and they on the left. Here go hismoccasins and there go their boots."
"And straight ahead is the brook by the side of which we'll find theircamp," said Robert, who had caught the silver flash of water throughthe green foliage.
The trail, as he had said, led to the brook where the signs of anencampment were numerous.
"The fog was dense with them as it was with us," said Tayoga. "It isshown by the fact that they moved about a great deal, walking over allthe ground, before they finally chose a place. If there had been nofog or even only a little they could have chosen at once what theywanted. Knowing that they had no enemy strong enough to be feared theykindled a fire here by this log, more for the sake of light than forwarmth. Sharp Sword did not talk over anything with his lieutenants,De Courcelles and Jumonville. His trail leads to the north side of thecamp, where he wrapped himself in his blanket and lay down. I imaginethat the Canadian, Dubois, who goes with him, as an attendant, watchedover him. De Courcelles and Jumonville slept on the other side of thecamp. There go their boots. All the French soldiers but Dubois laydown to sleep, and only the warriors watched. They left at dawn, notstopping to eat breakfast. If they had eaten, birds would be herehunting shreds of flesh in the grass, but we do not see a single bird,nor has any wolf or other prowling animal been drawn by the odor offood. We were right in our surmise that Sharp Sword did not wish todelay. Perhaps there is some force of ours that he can catch in atrap, and he wishes to repeat his success against the Mountain Wolf."
"And it is our business to stop him," said Willet.
"If so, we must act promptly, Great Bear. When Sharp Sword makes uphis mind to strike he strikes, quick and hard. After his brief camphere he continued his march toward the south. He threw out warriors asscouts and skirmishers. You can see their trail, leading off into thewoods, and then his main force marched in a close and compact group.Just beyond the camp a little while after they made the new start hecalled De Courcelles and De Jumonville to him, and talked with thema little. Here is where his moccasins stood, and here is where theirboots stood, facing him, while they received his orders. Then theboots walked back to the end of the line and St. Luc must have spokento them very sharply."
"Why do you say that, Tayoga?" asked Grosvenor.
"You will notice that here where the trails of boots turn back thestems of grass in two or three places are broken off, not crusheddown. De Courcelles and Jumonville kicked them in anger with the sharptoes of their boots, and they could have been angry only because SharpSword rebuked them."
"You must be right, Tayoga."
"It does not admit of any doubt, Red Coat. They took their places atthe rear of the marching line, and Sharp Sword went on ahead. At notime does he permit them to walk beside him. He still regards the twoFrenchmen with much disfavor, and he will continue to do so though hemust use them in his expedition."
Tayoga spoke in his precise school English, in which he never omittedor abbreviated a word, but he was very positive. It did not occur toany of the others to doubt him. They had seen too many evidenc
es ofhis surpassing skill on the trail. They swung along and Grosvenornoticed that many birds now appeared, hopping about in the path, as ifsearching among the bushes and in the grass for something.
"It looks as if they were seeking food dropped by our foes," he said.
"Did we not say that Red Coat would learn and learn fast!" exclaimedTayoga. "He has in him the spirit of the forester, and, in time, hewill make a great trailer. I have observed the birds, Red Coat, andyour conclusion is correct. Sharp Sword's force did not pause to cookbreakfast or even to eat it at the camp, but they took it as theywalked along swiftly, dropping shreds of flesh or grains of hominyor bones picked clean as they walked. The birds have come to feast ontheir leavings. Doubtless, they have eaten all already and are merelyhunting for more that does not exist. It is strange that no prowlingwolf has come. Ah, I see the nose of one now in the thicket! SharpSword and his force cannot be very far ahead, and we shall have to bevery cautious how we proceed."
"I think it likely," said Willet, "that Tandakora and his band willjoin him soon. If he is intending an attack upon us somewhere he willwant to mass his full strength for it."
"Tandakora will join him before he makes his next camp," said Tayoga,in the most positive manner. "Great Bear reasons well. I expect to seethe trail of the Ojibway chief, within an hour."
They went forward slowly, lest they walk into an ambush set by thefoe, and, before they had gone two miles, the Onondaga pointed to anew trail coming out of the forest and merging into that of St. Luc.
"Dagaeoga knows who has walked here!" he said.
"Yes," replied Robert. "It's easy to tell where the great feet ofTandakora have passed. I suppose he leaves bigger footprints than anyother man now in the province of New York. His warriors were with himtoo when he joined St. Luc. We were right in supposing that the Frenchleader meditates an attack upon us somewhere."
"Tandakora talked a while with St. Luc," said Tayoga, when theyhad gone a hundred yards farther. "The big moccasins and the smallmoccasins stood together beside the trail. The earth was dampened muchby the fog last night and it leaves the impressions. I think he talkedlonger with the Ojibway than he did with De Courcelles and Jumonville.Tandakora is an evil man but perhaps St. Luc feels less dislike forhim than he does for the two white men. The Ojibway is only a savagefrom the region of the Great Lakes, but the Frenchmen should knowthat the straight way of life is the right way. You do not forget,Dagaeoga, how De Courcelles planned with the others that time we werein Quebec, to have you killed by the bully, Boucher!"
"I don't forget it," said Robert. "I can never forget it, nor do Iforget how Dave took my place and sent the bully to a land where hecan never more do murder. Much as I hate Tandakora, I don't blame St.Luc for hating him less than he does De Courcelles and Jumonville."
"After the talk they went on together to the head of the line,"said Tayoga. "Now they increase their speed. The stride of St. Luclengthens and as it lengthens so must those of all the rest. We arenot now in any danger of running into them, but we may incur it beforenight."
They did not abate their own speed, but continued in the path withoutpause, until nearly noon. The broad trail led straight on, over hills,across valleys and always through deep forest, cut here and thereby clear streams. The sun came out, and it was warm under the trees.Grosvenor, unused to such severe exertion of this kind, began tobreathe with difficulty. But Tayoga called a halt in time at the edgeof a brook, and all knelt to drink.
"St. Luc's men were tired and thirsty too, Red Coat," said theOnondaga. "All of them drank. You can see the prints of their kneesand feet as they bent over the water. It is a good brook. Manitouhas filled the wilderness with its like, that man and beast may enjoythem. We will rest here a while, if Great Bear and Black Rifle sayso."
"We do," said the two men together.
They remained fully an hour by the little stream. Robert himself,used as he was to the wilderness, was glad of the rest, and Grosvenorfairly reveled in it, feeling that his nerves and muscles werebeing created anew. They also made further inroads on their bearand Grosvenor was glad to see the birds coming for the shredsthey dropped. He had quite a kindly feeling for the little wingedcreatures.
"I don't want to think that everything in the woods is an enemy," hesaid.
When they resumed the pursuit they found another new trail merginginto that of the main force. It was a mixed band, red and white as thecharacter of the footprints showed, and numbered about twenty men.
"It is clear," said Tayoga, "that as we supposed, Sharp Sword isplanning a heavy stroke. All the detached forces are coming in, underinstructions, to join him. We know that Montcalm drew back into thenorth after his great blow at Fort William Henry, and we think he isgoing to fortify on Champlain or between the two lakes. Some of ourpeople must be along the shores of Andiatarocte and Sharp Sword doesnot want them to find out too much about Montcalm."
"At any rate I think our own enterprise will culminate before night,"said Willet. "We should overtake them by dusk if we try."
"Sharp Sword's men will make a new camp before long," said Tayoga,"and from that they will launch their attack upon whatever point orforce of ours they intend to attack. They are not going so fast now,and the trail is growing very warm. Sharp Sword's stride is shorteningand so, of course, is the stride of all the others. I think he nowfeels that the need of hurrying is over, and he is likely to becomemuch more deliberate."
"And the ground is beginning to slope down toward a deep valley," saidWillet. "Water and wood will be plentiful there, and I think that'swhere St. Luc will make his camp to-night."
"I think so too," said Tayoga. "And since the dusk is not far awaymaybe they have lighted the fire already. Suppose, Great Bear, weclimb the hill on our right and see if our eyes can reach theirsmoke."
The crest of the hill was about three hundred feet above them, butwhen they reached it they could see a great distance on all sides,the lake a vast glittering bowl on their left and the mighty greenwilderness of hills, mountains and woods on their right. Directlyahead of them was a faint dark line against the dazzling blue of thesky.
"Smoke!" said Tayoga.
"St. Luc's smoke," said Willet.
"The very smoke of the camp for which we were looking and which wewere expecting!" said Black Rifle.
Robert's pulses beat hard, as they always did when he knew the greatFrench Chevalier to be near. But that emotion soon passed and inits place came the thought of the enemy's presence. However muchhe admired St. Luc he was an official foe, to be met upon thebattlefield.
"We must look into their camp," he said.
"So we must," said Willet, "and to do that we shall have to go muchnearer. The risk is too great now, but it will soon be night, and thenwe can approach. We can see them well, then, because they'll build allthe fires they like, since they think they have nothing to fear."
Then the five waited in silence among the thick woods on the crest ofthe hill, and Grosvenor prepared his mind for his first stalk. Full ofcourage, ambitious, eager to excel, he resolved to acquit himself withcredit. But this was war, far different from that on the open fieldsof Europe for which his early training had fitted him. One must liein the deep forest and depend upon the delicacy of eye and ear and anexceeding quickness of hand. It had not been long since he wouldhave considered his present situation incredible, and, even now, itrequired some effort to convince himself that it was true.
But there beside him were the comrades whom he liked so well, Robert,Tayoga and the hunter whom he had known before and the strange darkfigure of Black Rifle, that man of mystery and terror. Around him wasthe wilderness now in the glow of advancing twilight, and before himhe knew well lay St. Luc and the formidable French and Indian force.Time and place were enough to try the soul of an inexperienced youthand yet Grosvenor was not afraid. His own spirit and willingnessto dare peril made a shield for him. His comrades were only four innumber, but Grosvenor felt that, in fact, they were twenty. He didnot know what strange
pass into which they would lead him, but he feltsure they would succeed.
He saw the red rim of the sun sink behind the western crests, and thenthe last twilight died into the night. Heavy darkness trailed over theforest, but soon moon and stars sprang out, and the sky became silver,the spire of smoke reappearing across its southern face. But Willet,who was in reality the leader of the little party, gave no sign.Grosvenor knew that they were waiting for the majority of St.Luc's force to go to sleep, leaving only the sentinels before theyapproached, but it was hard to sit there so long. His nerves were onedge and his muscles ached, but his spirit put a powerful rein overthe flesh and he said never a word, until far in the night Willet gavethe order to advance.
"Be careful, lads," he said, "and now is your chance, Lieutenant, toshow how well you can keep up the start you've made as a trailer. Thatsmoke over there which merges from several camp fires is our beacon."
They crept through the thickets. Grosvenor saw the dark gray toweragainst the sky grow larger and larger, and at last a luminous glowthat came from the camp fires, rose under the horizon.
"To the edge of this last hill," whispered Willet, "and I think we cansee them."
They redoubled their care as they advanced, and then, thrusting theirheads through the bushes, looked down into the little valley in whichthe camp of St. Luc was pitched.
Several fires were burning, and Robert distinctly saw the Frenchleader standing before one of them, not in forest green, but in hissplendid officer's uniform of white and silver. A gallant and romanticfigure he looked, outlined by the blaze, young, lithe and strong.Again the heart of the lad throbbed, and he was drawn powerfullytoward St. Luc. What was it that caused this feeling and why had theChevalier on more than one occasion and at risk shown himself to behis friend?
Not as many in the camp as they had expected had yet gone to sleep.Tandakora, somber and gigantic, gnawed the flesh from the big bone ofa deer and then, throwing the bone into the fire, approached St. Luc.Robert saw them talking and presently De Courcelles and Jumonvillecame also. The four talked a little while and now and then theChevalier pointed toward the south.
"That is where they intend their blow to fall," whispered Tayoga.
"Beyond a doubt, lad," the hunter whispered back, "but we may be ableto anticipate 'em."
The wild scene, the like of which he had never looked upon before,cast a strange spell over Grosvenor. He too recognized, even at thedistance, the power of St. Luc's personality, and Tandakora, looming,immense, in the firelight, was like some monster out of an earlier,primordial world. Warriors and soldiers asleep were scattered beforethe fires, and, at the edge of the forest, walked the sentinels. Itwas an alert and formidable camp, and the young Englishman felt thathe and his comrades were grazing the extreme edge of danger.
De Courcelles and Jumonville presently left St. Luc and went toanother fire, where they lay down and fell asleep, their militarycloaks spread over them. Then the short, dark Canadian Dubois appearedand St. Luc spoke to him also. Dubois bowed respectfully and brought ablanket, which he spread before the fire. St. Luc lay down on it, andhe too was soon asleep.
"It's time for us to go," whispered Willet, "but I'd feel saferif Tandakora also went to sleep. That savage is likely to send outscouts."
"Tandakora does not mean to sleep to-night," said Tayoga. "He suspectsthat we are somewhere near and he is troubled. If he were not uneasyhe would take his rest, which is what a chief always does when theopportunity presents itself. But he has thrown his second bone intothe fire, and he walks about, looking now at the sleepers and now atthe forest. I think he will soon send two or three runners toward thesouth. See, he is speaking to them now, and two are starting."
Two Indians left the camp and glided silently into the woods. ThenTandakora stopped his restless pacing, and lay down on the ground. Hisface was in the shadow, but he seemed to be asleep.
The four on the hill crept away as cautiously as they had come,and they agreed that they would make a curve around St. Luc's camp,traveling all night toward the south. Willet was anxious about thetwo warriors whom Tandakora had sent out, and he felt that they mightpossibly encounter them on the way. He led his little group firsttoward the lake and then bore south, being quite sure that before noonthe next day they would reach a British or American detachment of somekind. Everything indicated such proximity and they were agreed thatthey would find their friends on the shores of the lake. It was notlikely that either colonials or regulars would leave the open waterand go far into woods which furnished so many perils.
They were refreshed by sleep and plenty of food and they made goodtime. They walked in single file, Willet leading with Tayoga last andGrosvenor in front of him. The young Englishman's ambition, encouragedby success, was rising higher than ever, and he was resolved that thisnight trail which he was treading should be a good one, so far as hewas concerned. Robert walked in front of him and he was careful tostep exactly where young Lennox did, knowing that if he did so hewould break no sticks and make no undue noise. The test was severe,but he succeeded. By and by his breath grew short once more.Nevertheless he was glad when Willet halted, and asked Tayoga if heheard any unusual sound in the forest. Before replying the Onondagalay down and put his ear to the ground.
"I do hear a sound which is not that of the trees nor of an animal,"he replied. "It is made by men walking, and I think they are the twowarriors whom Tandakora sent out from the camp."
"And if you can hear them walking they must be very near. That issure."
"It is true, Great Bear. These two warriors are sent south to spy uponwhatever force of ours St. Luc means to attack, and it may be thatthey will strike our trail, although they are not looking for it.There is light enough now to show our traces to good trailers."
"Aye, Tayoga, you speak truly. Lie down, lads, we must not showourselves. It's possible that they'll pass on and not dream of ourpresence here."
"It is in the hands of Manitou," said the Onondaga gravely. "They arestill walking toward the south at an even pace, which shows that theyhave seen nothing. I can hear their footfalls, only a whisper againstthe earth, but unmistakable. Now, they are just behind us, andtheir course is the same as ours. Ah, the footfalls cease! They havestopped. They have seen our trail, Great Bear. Manitou has given hisdecree against us, and who are we to complain? He has done so much forus that now he would put us to the test, and see whether we are worthyof his favor. We shall have to fight the messengers."
"It should be easy enough for us who are five to beat two warriors,"said Robert.
"We can surely beat two," said Tayoga, "but they will try to hold uswhile they call help. It will not be long before you hear the cry of anight bird, doubtless an owl."
"Have they begun to move again?" asked Robert.
"I cannot hear a sound. Perhaps they are stirring, but they creep socautiously that they make no noise at all. It would be their objectto make their own position uncertain and then we would go on at greatperil from their bullets. It will be best for us to stay a while wherewe are."
Tayoga's words were accepted at once as wise by the others. It wasimpossible to tell where the two warriors now lay, and, if theyundertook to go on, their figures would be disclosed at once by thebrilliant moonshine. So they flattened themselves against the groundin the shadow of the bushes and waited patiently. The time seemed toGrosvenor to be forever, but he thrilled with the belief in comingcombat. He still felt that he was in the best of all company forforest and midnight battle, and he did not fear the issue.
Willet was hopeful that the skies would darken, but they did not doso. The persistent moon and a host of stars continued to shine down,flooding the forest with light, and he knew that if any one of themstood up a bullet would be his instant welcome. At last came thecry of the night bird, the note of the owl, as Tayoga had predicted,rising from a point to their right and somewhat behind them, but toofar away for rifle shot. It was a singular note, wild, desolate andfull of menace.
"There
may have been another band of warriors in this direction,"whispered Tayoga, "perhaps a group of hunters who had not yet returnedto St. Luc, and he is calling to them."
"No earthly doubt of it," said Black Rifle. "Can you hear the reply,Tayoga?"
"Now I hear it, though it is very faint. It is from the south and thewarriors will soon be here. We shall have a band to fight."
"Then we'd better bear off toward the west," said Willet. "Come, lads,we have to creep for it."
They made their way very slowly on hands and knees away from thelake, Willet leading and Tayoga bringing up the rear. It was hardand painful work for Grosvenor, but again he succeeded in advancingwithout noise, and he began to think they would elude the vigilance ofthe savage scouts, when a sibilant whisper from Willet warned them tofall flat again. His command was just in time as a rifle cracked inthe bushes ahead of them, and Grosvenor distinctly heard the bullet asit hissed over their heads. Willet threw his rifle to his shoulder butquickly took it down again. The Indian who had fired was gone and alittle puff of smoke rising above the bushes told where he had been.Then the five crept away toward the right and drew into a slighthollow, rimmed around with bushes, where they lay hugging the earth.
"Our course took us almost directly into the path of that fellow,"said Willet, "and of course he saw us. I'm sorry I didn't get a shotat him."
"Do not worry, Great Bear," said Tayoga. "You will find plenty of usefor your bullets. The band has come. Hark to the war whoop!"
The long, piercing yell, so full of menace and most sinister in itsdying note, swelled through the forest. Grosvenor, despite his courageand confidence in his comrades, shivered. He had heard that same yellmany a time, when Braddock's army was cut down in the deep forest byan invisible foe. He could never forget its import. But he graspedhis rifle firmly, and strove to see the enemy, who, he knew, wasapproaching. His four comrades lay in silence, but the muzzle of everyweapon was thrust forward.
"It's fortunate we found this little hollow," said Willet. "It willgive us shelter for a while."
"And we'll need it," said Black Rifle. "They know where we are, ofcourse, but they'll take their time about attacking."
"Keep your heads down, lads," said Willet. "Don't be too eager to see.If they're too far away for us to shoot at we are too far away forthem too."
Five minutes later and a flash came from a thicket on their left.Willet pulled trigger at the flash and a death cry came back.
"That's one out of the way," said Black Rifle calmly, "and they're madclean through. Hear 'em yell!"
The fierce war whoop died in many echoes, and bullets spattered therocks about them. The five made no further reply as yet, but theforest battle was now on.
The Lords of the Wild: A Story of the Old New York Border Page 9